


Mistakes Happen

by rmwfbl



Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:07:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5159771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rmwfbl/pseuds/rmwfbl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>USWNT faces New Zealand in 2012. Kelley is new to the defense and makes a crucial mistake on a backpass to Hope. Kelley stops believing in herself, but Hope doesn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bad Touches but Good Intentions

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is based off the February 2012 New Zealand vs. USWNT game in Texas.  
> I was inspired by this Highlights video because it was honestly such a good game, but I felt so bad for Kelley (the backpass gone wrong that inspired this story is at about 2:08).  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4acuNc52es
> 
> For the most part everything in terms of the game in the story is real, except for the fact that I made it Hope playing as goalie in the game instead of Barnie. But hey, you gotta do what ya gotta do.
> 
> you can watch the full game here, if you wish:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bso_a5UuYe0

She knew it was a bad pass.

As soon as her cleat connected with the ball. 

The moment the ball bounced off her foot.

\-----------------

New Zealand had been pressing hard, full of fire and a desire to prove themselves, making the game much more challenging than anticipated. Kelley was still new to the backline. Pia had only recently pulled her aside for a one-on-one meeting and told it to her straight: if she was going to keep a spot on this roster, it wasn’t going to be as a forward. She had nodded, promised Coach she was willing to do anything to help her team, and given her all to her new position.

\--------(flashback)---------

It didn’t come naturally, and it definitely didn’t come easy. Everyday felt like walking onto a battlefield, struggling to time her tackles right and learning unfamiliar strategies. Christie was always supportive and offered her years of advice. Mittsy gave her encouragement and a good laugh whenever she needed one. Hope yelled.

Hope yelled alot.

Hope's go-to mentoring philosophy, in Kelley's opinion, seemed to be her tried and true scream-yell-and-burst-a-vein-until-they-get-it-right approach. Kelley could hear the constant barrage of critiques and corrections echoed from between the posts every day. The loud bark of the goalie's orders cut through the air and set Kelley on edge. Hope was getting aggravated. Kelley was getting nowhere. 

Eventually Hope had given up on her ordinary approach, because Kelley was anything but. 

Kelley’s eyes had widened in surprise when Hope had approached her after one particularly stressful, gruelling practice, and, instead of berating her, asked her if she would like to stay after and talk. Kelley, hesitantly, had said yes, and Hope had offered her a rare small smile.

They talked for hours, sitting opposite each other cross-legged in the middle of the pitch. Kelley asked questions and vented her frustrations, gesturing wildly and at one point dramatically slumped to the ground, much to the goalkeeper’s amusement. Hope told her to not try to forget how to play like a forward, but to embrace it, and use her knowledge of the offense to anticipate and get in the minds of her opponents. She apologized for being so harsh with her new backline player, told Kelley that she had been improving, and that she saw a lot of potential in her which is why she had been so much harder on Kelley than the others.

Eventually- long after the sun had set and the field lights had turned on- one of the staff drove to collect the last two players, and waved them over from the van. As soon as they stood up, both felt a sudden pang of sadness at their moment ending. Hope’s sudden rush of affection for the smaller woman both surprised her and compelled her to throw a casual arm around Kelley’s shoulders.

“Now don’t tell the others or let this go to your head, O’Hara, but I had a really nice time tonight… And I like talking to you a lot more than I like screaming at you.”

“Yeah, it’s probably good we did this,” Kelley replied slyly, “because I think you were about to lose your voice.” Hope slapped Kelley playfully on the arm, laughing, as she guided them back to the van.

\------------

The game so far had been a welcome challenge, improvement for the upcoming Olympics at the forefront of each player’s mind. But for as hard as the USA worked to create opportunities and capitalize on openings, nothing finished.

Alex was denied shot after shot after shot. A header by Boxxy struck the crossbar. Abby went wide on a PK.

\---------------

It was all too clear now that maybe she wasn’t as prepared as she thought she was.

Hope had been calling for the ball, New Zealand had been holding possession on the United States’ half for too long, now, and the keeper wanted to clear the ball out as soon as possible.

“Kell! Kell! Knock it back, we gotta get rid of this,” She shouted from her box, as New Zealand sent a long ball back up the right sideline. It bounced once, twice, before the defender was able to catch up to and connect with the ball. She jumped a little as her foot struck the ball, and it was all wrong.

It was a mishit, off the top of the arch of her raised foot, and she watched, frozen, as the ball flew too high, spun too fast, and landed too far in front of the goal.

Hope sprinted up to the top of the box, rushing to make the save.

But New Zealand’s Kara Wilkinson was closer, and Kelley watched in absolute horror as the ball arced over Hope’s outstretched arms and buried itself in the back of the net.

Kelley stood frozen, as she watched the consequences of her single bad touch unfold, both hands clutching the sides of her face in shock, mouth agape.

In the 49th minute, it was 1-0 New Zealand.

Kelley turned away from the goal, unable to watch as the back of net continued to ripple slightly, and walked slowly away from their celebrating opponents. Hands still glued to her temples, she could do nothing but stare blankly with wide eyes, shaking her head at her reckless error. She couldn’t even look at her teammates. She threw her arms down as she reset to her kickoff position and fought the urge to scream and tear her hair out.

She had failed.

This had been her chance, her opportunity to prove herself to Pia that she deserved a spot on this team and she had gone and shot it all to hell.

But this was soccer, and the game went on, so Kelley went on.

As she heard the whistle blow she tried to empty everything from her mind but the sound of Christie’s and Hope's voices, somehow reassuring her, somehow still leading her on.

\-----------------------

New Zealand didn’t score again. The unexpected goal seemed to have awoken a new intensity in the United States, for this would be the first time in history that the US would have lost to New Zealand if they were unable to get on the board. More runs were made and there were multiple close calls, but it seemed like every shot they took on goal, the NZ goalkeeper Jenny Bindon was there to snatch it out of the air.

The rest of the game was better for KO who played well, albeit not spectacular. She made her tackles, helped to slow the persistent kiwi offense, but nothing legendary. No Olympics-worthy plays or London-deserving contributions. But she still played, and she was still good.

Pia took her out in the 70th minute.

\-----------------------

Kelley’s heart thudded louder each extra minute they trailed New Zealand. Blood rushed to her ears when she happened to glance up at the scoreboard and see the replay of the earlier goal. It was so much more painful as she took in the sight of her sending that bad, bad ball towards her very own goal. It was so clear now, all the mistakes, all the preventable decisions she had made in just a few crucial seconds now realized far too late. A badly timed run, a poorly struck pass. Her face turned red. She took a deep breath and grit her teeth.

She felt tears hot behind her eyes, and blinked them away.

Tobin rubbed her back.

\-----------------------

Just as Kelley was starting to believe that her fate, the team’s fate had been sealed, Alex breathed life into the USWNT with header off the post and into the goal.

It was the 88th minute, tied 1-1.

What seemed like mere seconds later, she did it again. Alex Morgan positioned herself above a diving header sent in by Abby, and the entire stadium erupted as it hit the side netting. Her teammates swarmed around her, jumping and cheering, as all the players on the bench jumped up and cheered.

No one screamed louder than Kelley.

In the 93rd minute, the USA had finally redeemed itself. The final score was 2-1.

\--------------------

Kelley left the bench, abandoning her pinnie on the ground as she walked out to congratulate her team. She hugged Alex and smacked Abby’s butt, ambling half-heartedly around the field. She shook hands with New Zealand and tried her best to avoid the sympathetic, pitying half-smiles of her teammates. She kept her eyes on the ground, because every time she saw the “1” next to New Zealand’s name it stung like a heartache and left a bad taste in her mouth. With her head down she didn’t notice the purple keeper heading towards her until it was too late and she heard the soft voice in her ears.

“Kell…”

Kelley couldn’t bring her eyes to look into the taller woman’s ice blue ones. Her mentor, her friend, who had put all faith in her, and Kelley had let her down. Kelley swallowed, willing the tears now threatening to return to stay buried beneath the surface.

“Kelley, look at me… please.”

The voice was gentle and concerned so she tore her moistening eyes from the dirt on her cleats. Kelley met Hope’s searching gaze. She wished she had been met with the condescending or disappointed look she had expected, felt she deserved. Because Instead she was met with kind, compassionate eyes and a worried expression, which seemed almost worse.

“Sorry,” Kelley choked out, “I’m sorry I let you down,” her voice cracking at the end as a tear escaped and slip down her cheek.

Kelley turned away, unable to hold Hope’s gaze any longer for fear of more tears following the first. She felt the warm touch of long fingers wrapping around her wrist. “I’m worried you’re going to beat yourself up about this too hard. So you messed up, we all do sometimes. Hell, even I may have let in a goal or two in the past,” Hope said, leaning her forehead against Kelley’s, trying for a smile, but to no avail. “Mistakes happen, and all that’s left is to learn from them, okay? So come on,” she nudged, “we won!”

“Yeah,” Kelley scoffed as she turned away from the woman who cared about her the most, removing herself from Hope’s embrace, “No thanks to me.”

“Kelley, wait!” Hope called, but it was too late. The new defender was already running away from the field, from her, and into the locker rooms.


	2. Tired of this Waiting Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kelley mopes and Hope misses Kelley. This chapter also introduces some Hope POV.

\-----------(flash forward)--------

It was late now, and the team was back at the hotel, light-hearted and talkative after their close win. Everyone was still seated at tables in the dining hall even though dinner had been over for a while- well, everyone but Kelley that is. 

And Hope too- now that they thought about it...

\-------------------------------

After the game had ended the young defender had quickly made her exit back into the locker rooms. She had let the scalding hot water of the shower beat against her skin and wondered how she had managed to ruin weeks of practice and proving herself to Pia. It felt like her dreams of London, too, were swirling down the shower drain.

As soon as she finished changing back into clean clothes she headed back to the bus. She sat in her usual seat but put her bag on the empty seat next to her. She wasn’t quite ready to face the team, yet. They wouldn’t be mad or hold it against her, of course, but that wasn’t the point. She wanted to delay any disappointed looks, subtle whispers, and her coach’s lectures for as long as possible. She felt guilty for leaving the field so soon and not signing autographs, but she didn’t feel like she would be missed, anyway. Who would have wanted an autograph from the girl who almost cost us the game? she thought to herself. 

So she put her earbuds in, leaned her head against the window, closed her eyes, and waited for the bus to rumble back to life. 

\----------------------------------------

Hope was left disoriented and hurt in Kelley’s wake. She couldn’t stand still and her mind was elsewhere, far away from the field. It was off with a certain forward-turned-defender. She twirled the sharpie anxiously between her fingers as she went from fan to fan. Each face more excited than the last, all invigorated by the nail-biting win.

It had been a good game to watch.

\----------------------

Hope watched Kelley’s retreating figure with sadness in her eyes. She groaned and palmed her face. Had she said the wrong thing? She sighed frustratedly as she walked away. One of the assistants pressed a marker into her palm and sent her off to go sign autographs but that was the last place she wanted to be at the moment. She wanted to be with Kelley. 

She cared. She cared and it was all Kelley’s fault. She really shouldn’t. She never had before, and she didn’t feel the need to make it a habit, but for Kelley it was different. For Kelley it was always different. She didn’t care about anyone else. Not in a mean way, but if it had been Pinoe or Abby who had cost them a goal she wouldn’t lose sleep over it. But the fact that she knew Kelley was hurting and beating herself up on the inside tore her apart and she just wanted to wrap the girl in her arms until she knew that everything was going to be okay. 

Somewhere between their after practice talks (which had become a regular occurrence) and now, she had gone soft. The short, squirrelly soccer player had found the cracks in Hope’s armor and wormed her way into her heart. She didn’t know exact time where Kelley had warmed the closed-off goalkeeper’s self-proclaimed cold heart, but if she thought hard enough, there were plenty of moments.

Maybe it was the night where they stayed out on the field so late when they got back to the hotel the team had already eaten dinner so the two went out to eat together and they argued over the check (Hope paid-- that time).

Maybe it was the team movie night when Kelley had argued long and hard to play Finding Nemo, but then fell asleep 30 minutes later, cuddled into Hope’s side, snoring softly into the keeper’s neck while their teammates winked to a blushing Hope.

Maybe it was the first time Hope had gotten Kelley coffee too, even remembered how many sugars, before slipping it quietly and quickly into her hands, walking away before she could be thanked.

Maybe it was when the media had gotten too much for Hope so Kelley crawled under the covers with her brushing her dark hair out of her eyes and holding her close, Kelley being strong so that Hope could be weak, wiping away her tears.

But she could pinpoint the time she realized. When she suddenly understood just how screwed she was.

\-------------(flashback)-------------

They had been practicing, it was their winter camp in California. The team was scrimmaging each other, split into two sides for an 11v11 match. Kelley was defending and went in for a header, a high ball sent in from midfield. It looked like it was going to go uncontested for a second, but then Abby jumped too, launching to the side, at an angle, to try and beat Kelley to the ball in midair. Her elbow had slammed back into the defender’s face and Kelley had landed harshly on the grass with a sickening thud. It had been an accident, of course it had, and Abby was apologizing as soon as her boots hit the ground, Hope was there not a second later, her box forgotten as she knelt by her friend’s side. 

“What were you thinking!” Hope yelled at a stunned Abby, already seeing the freckles on the girl’s face become disguised by redness and swelling, the beginnings of what would become one hell of a bruise. The forward was soon all but forgotten to Hope who helped to soothe Kelley. She was writhing in pain on the grass and dirt, tenderly brushing the flyaway hairs from her face, gentle against her hurting face. “Shhh, shhh… it’s gonna be alright, okay Kell? Come on you gotta get up.” She helped a whimpering kelley get to her feet, and when she stumbled, scooped her up instead. Now cradling Kelley in her arms and still whispering to her, Hope looked around the field for help and was surprised to find no one else had rushed to be with Kelley. Instead, everyone was standing stock still, looking at the goalkeeper as if she had just sprouted another head. And that’s when she realized-

Hope wasn’t even on Kelley’s team.

Hope let out a small sigh, it was too late to care about what her teammates thought, and Kelley was far too important anyway. She hated seeing KO’s usual bubbly self diminished to silence, but she loved the feeling of her soft hands hooked around her neck.

Pia motioned for Jill to take Hope’s place in goal.

Kelley had a black eye.

Hope had stayed with Kelley in the trainer’s room, and then back at the hotel, making sure Kelley iced her face and took her pain medicine. Kelley complained that the medicine wasn’t working and that Hope, in all actuality, made her feel better than the Advil.

Hope had laughed at this and before she knew it found herself placing a soft, featherlight kiss against Kelley’s swollen shut eyelid. Kelley didn’t pull away, but let out the tiniest of sighs.

“Were you trying to kiss it better, Solo?” Kelley asked with a laugh as Hope felt her face turn red. “Because if so,” she paused to return a kiss to the older woman’s cheek, “I think it worked.”

\-----------------

She signed one last t-shirt, posed for one last picture, and then made her excuses to the fans, apologizing to the hopeful faces she passed on her way to the tunnel.

“I’m so sorry.”  
“I really have to go now.”  
“Thanks for coming out today, it was great to see all of you.”

But Hope needed to leave. Hope needed to be with Kelley, and Kelley needed to know that it was okay.

That she was okay.

She hurried off the field and was met with an empty room. 

The only sign the other woman had been there was the soft and incessant drip of a shower head. 

\--------------------------

Slowly but surely the team made their way back to the bus, a tsunami of chatter with Pinoe and Lori leading the charge. Kelley lifted her head momentarily from the cool glass of the window to watch the tide of players roll in. Tobin and Alex took their usual seats behind Kelley. Tobin squeezed Kelley’s shoulder. “Coming back to your old seat, huh?”

Kelley laughed nervously. “Yeah, I guess. I just wanted to sit by myself on the way back you know?”

“Totally, bro. We all have those days,” and with that Tobin dropped the subject, zoning back out into her own little world.

Sometimes Kelley really loved Tobin.

\-------------------------

Hope was one of the last few onto the bus. When she stepped on, she felt her heart rise and then fall in her chest.

Kelley wasn’t in her spot.

Well- she was in her old spot.

But she wasn’t in her new spot.

Their spot.

It had become a habit for the two of them. Ever since Kelley had so unceremoniously plopped herself down in the empty seat next to Hope, giving the glaring goalkeeper a glowing smile.

“Anyone sitting here?”

“No, but-”

“Awesome! Hey, have you seen that video of the dog who doesn’t want to go in the bath?”

Hope sighed exasperatedly and closed her book. No more reading was getting done for the foreseeable future. She rolled her eyes half-heartedly when the brunette squeezed herself in even closer so they could both see the video on her phone screen. Soon enough, Hope found herself smiling and nodding as she listened to one of Kelley’s many, many stories, and often interjecting a comment or jab of her own. She caught Carli giving her a questioning look and shrugged. It was different. No one, let alone a rookie ever dared to venture into the back of the bus, and no one sat next to Hope Solo. Hope Solo sat alone, and Hope Solo most definitely didn’t laugh out loud and goof around or smile. It was simply unheard of. Until a certain O’Hara, at least.

They always sat together after that.

\-----------------------------------

Hope would be lying if she said she wasn’t disappointed.

Let down by the appalling lack of freckles in the seat next to her.

A little ticked off, too. She had come to expect Kelley’s presence, her warm body next to hers, and though she always pretended to be annoyed by the unabashed invasion of her alone time, the sudden loss of her friend, her so-called “partner-in-crime” left a hole in her chest. She missed her, though she would never admit it. Annoyed and abandoned she worked her way to the back of the bus, dropping into her seat and crossing her arms. Carli reached out a few minutes later to still Hope’s bouncing leg. “Try to relax. Read your book, you can just talk to her later,” she tried to reassure. But she couldn’t concentrate on the pages even if she tried, so eventually she gave up and settled for staring at the back of KO’s head and thinking about the words she wanted to say later. The words that would help fix Kelley, the words that would show her how perfect she was even when the world wasn’t. 

She knew how much this game had meant to the girl in terms of getting to prove herself in a new position on a world stage. Kelley needed to know that this wasn’t her last chance, and other, better days would come. 

Kelley needed to know that Hope still believed in her. That Hope had never stopped.

\--------------------------------------

Kelley spent all of fifteen minutes at dinner.

Hope let out a groan of frustration. She didn’t know why Kelley kept avoiding the team, avoiding her. No one was mad at her. The moping defender had played with her food for the majority of her time, before finishing. She wasn’t engaged in Tobin, Alex and Pinoe’s antics like she usually was, barely talking or contributing to the conversation. Everyone was getting worried for their little freckled player and the absence of her infectious energy left the dining room a little too quiet for comfort. Eventually, Kelley was the first to excuse herself.

Hope was the second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you guys think. this chapter was meant to still build up for the next one. Give me feedback, this is the first multi chapter work i've done so i'm hoping its ok.


	3. Believing in her First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything gets let out in the open.

“Kelley! Open up…. We need to talk.” Hope heard the faint shuffle of feet on carpet. A pause. The door to the hotel room cracked open slightly, but was stopped by the latch. The goalkeeper could just make out a sliver of the other girl’s face: a green eye, a tear track.

“I don’t really feel like talking right now.” 

She sighed, “But I want to, please.”

Nothing.

“You know we’re roommates, right? You’ll have to let me in eventually.”

“There’s always Carli’s room,” the defender joked wryly.

“Kells.”

Some muffled grumbling. Then the flip of the latch and the door swinging open. Kelley walked away from the door before Hope even had a toe out of the hallway. 

“What’s up with you?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” As soon as the words left her mouth Kelley knew they were fake. She felt bad for shutting out one of the people that cared about her most but she felt just as bad for making Hope feel like she was obligated to help her. To be quite honest, she was hoping to be able to ride out her little pity party all on her own, but now she’d have to talk, have to relive that ball soaring into the top of the net. Wallow in the fresh memories of her own personal defeat.

Hope took three long strides before effectively trapping Kelley by the wrist. “I’m here for you for anything. Now can you please tell me what’s wrong?” Her soft voice washed over Kelley like a wave, and the goalkeeper saw her deflate, the fight and the opposition leaving her like air out of a balloon. Kelley turned around, Hope’s slender fingers still looped loosely around her wrist. Her eyes were red and her cheeks tear stained. It was obvious that she’d been crying and it broke Hope’s heart to pieces. She had never realized just how sensitive her friend was before, but then again, there had never been an event during the course of their short but swift friendship that had allowed for Hope to see Kelley like this before now. “Oh, Kell,” she sighed, stepping closer to the defender to wipe yet another stray tear away.

Hope led Kelley oh so carefully to the bed, sitting them down on the edge of the mattress. Neither of them said anything for awhile. Hope waited until the other woman was ready, until the other woman had finished crying out all the tears she had tried so hard in vain to keep locked away. It was like all the stress and pressure of her new position, of the difficulties she was having with adapting, her desire to prove herself, her feelings of failure, her insecurities about her spot on the team- everything- had just built up until it was too much for her small shoulders to carry any longer. 

Strong arms held Kelley close to her heart until her breathing evened out, until her sniffles were few and far between.

It was cathartic for Kelley.

It was heart-wrenching for Hope.

The much-needed release of pent-up emotions left the forward-turned-defender feeling lighter and ready to talk, while the goalie just felt the strong desire to protect Kelley at all costs and personally destroy the sources of all of her pain.

“Was it the game?” A small nod.

“Do you want to talk about it?” another nod. Kelley straightened herself up slightly, angling herself so that she was facing Hope. She let out a deep breath before she began to talk.

“This was my big chance, Hope, and I blew it. I finally got my shot to show coach and the team that I have what it takes to be a defender and what do I do? I fuck up astronomically and almost cost us the game.” Hope wanted to interject, at this point, but thought it was better if Kelley kept talking, venting. She nodded assuringly to let her know she was still listening. Kelley gulped. “It- It was- I should have been able to do a backpass. It was just a simple backpass, but somehow I still managed to royally fuck it up and send in a perfect ball for the other team! New Zealand was probably the only people who wanted me out on the pitch after that! And that’s not even all of why I’m so upset! It’s the fact that I thought ‘hey! I might finally be getting the hang of this whole defending thing,’ but nope, all my hard work might as well have been for nothing. Pia’s not going to play a defender who can’t protect her own goal, and I don’t blame her. I don’t deserve to get minutes after that bullshit. I just really love soccer, and this team, and everything that’s been done for me. When there wasn’t space for me as a striker anymore Coach put me in with defense just to give me a chance to stay with this team. And how do I repay you? By letting the other team score, that’s how. I’m sorry, Hope. I let you down too. You probably would have gotten another shutout or broken another record if I hadn’t been on the field. And I know how hard you are on yourself, and you have every right to be mad at me, because I made you look bad because of my horrible playmaking. I’m sorry I wouldn’t talk to you after the game or- or on the bus but, I -um, uh, I didn’t want to see the disappointment in your eyes, or make you mad because I know the last person you wanted to see was probably me, but-”

“Kelley I-”

“-And all you’ve been is amazing to me and practicing extra to help me out and I just let you down so much tonight-”

“No that’s not-”

“-And I’m so so so sorry that I choked under the pressure and it’s not your fault at all because no one’s ever taught me as well as you but now you probably won’t have to worry about idiots like me anymore because this will probably be my last call up so-”

“KELLEY!” That shut her up. Then, quieter. “You’re rambling.”

“Oh,” Kelley blushed, “Sorry.”

“Can I speak now?” Hope asked, smiling down at the defender, small creases by her eyes forming. Kelley nodded, albeit hesitantly: she was worried about what Hope was going to say, that Kelley had let her down, that mentoring her had been a waste of time, That Hope had only watched Glee with her out of pity. 

But what came out of Hope’s mouth next was quite the opposite.

“I know this was a rough game for you, and I know that you’re still getting used to a new position, but I want you to know that everyone has a shitty game every now and then. We’re athletes, we’re not perfect. I could never be disappointed in you… or mad at you… I never could be. And even though you made a mistake I’m still so proud of you. Proud of you for all the hard work you’ve put in to get this far. One game doesn’t define you, and Pia would be crazy to waste the talent you have, the Olympics are calling your name I can tell. I believe in you. Even if you don’t I believe in you. I always have and I always will.”

Kelley peered up at Hope through wet eyelashes and sniffled a little. “Really?”

“Really. I just can’t believe you thought I’d be angry with you for me not getting a clean-sheet. That doesn’t matter to me as much as knowing you’re okay. Promise me you won’t be so hard on yourself?”

There was some mildly incoherent mumbling.

“I’m sorry what was that?” the older woman teased.

Kelley rolled her eyes. “I promise.” 

“Good,” Hope said as she tucked a lock of hair behind Kelley’s ear, “because I may or may not have missed you annoying the crap out of me on the bus today.”

Kelley snorted, grinning despite herself. “I’m going to remember that, Yolo.”  
“Was that a smile, O’Hara?” the goalkeeper joked.

“No”

“I think that was. I think that was indeed a smile.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Hope suddenly lunged forward. “Oh really?” she asked as she began to attack Kelley’s sides, tickling her. She definitely got her desired reaction because within a matter of moments the girl who was so sad just seconds ago was now a squirming mess of laughter. “Is that so?”

Kelley loved being one of the only ones to see this side of Hope. She was usually so reserved and guarded in front of the others, it made her feel special that she cared enough about her to even bother trying to cheer her up- even if that meant pinning her down and literally forcing a smile out of her.

“Stop, Hope!” the defender managed to exclaim in between fits of laughter until Hope let go, both still laughing. 

Hope suddenly became hyper-aware of the fact that she was almost laying on top of Kelley, and that Kelley’s eyes seemed to keep flickering down to Hope’s mouth, her hands clutching the goalkeeper’s hips. She gulped and started to pull away, but Kelley placed a hand on the back of her neck. “No… stay....” she breathed out, guiding Hope back down so that there foreheads were pressed together, their lips not even an inch apart.

Hope shuddered, goosebumps erupting all over skin, her heart racing with anticipation and want. “Kelley, I want this, but…”

“But what?” she mumbled, nuzzling at Hope’s jaw and and neck, peppering soft kisses to smooth skin. Hope let out an audible gasp as the woman beneath her lightly nipped her earlobe.

She could barely form a coherent thought. “I- I don’t want this to be a one-night-stand,” she whispered, closing her eyes so that she didn’t get lost in Kelley’s hazel ones. “You mean more to me then that. If we do this I want this to be real.” She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, bracing for Kelley, to push her away, to tell her that all this was a mistake, that this was just a series of very bad decisions and the result of emotions running high. 

But Kelley just laughed. 

A soft, breathy chuckle as she knotted her fingers in the hair at the base of Hope’s neck. 

“I want you. I’ve wanted you for too long for this to be anything less than real.”  
Hope’s eyes shot open, bright blue meeting the fire in the other woman’s eyes, and she couldn’t help the smile, the crinkles that formed in the corners of her eyes. “Really?” 

“Really. Now shut up and kiss me.”

That was all the permission Hope needed as she finally pressed her lips against Kelley’s, kissing and getting kissed back by the woman she had wanted for so long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not quite done yet, folks. Sorry for the wait.

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooo what do you guys think? I'm thinking this will be about 3 chapters long when it's done and the next chapter will be from Hope's POV. let me know if you like it so i know if you want me to continue or not :) 
> 
> Also let me know if there are any big spelling/grammar errors that are really bugging you, because I didn't really edit this.


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